Topic starter
09/02/2007 1:50 am
As I was looking through some NOLA albums for something else, this rare shot appeared. It is the gambling boat FLAMINGO actually out on a cruise. Louisiana probably holds the record for docksiding gambling boats faster than any other state, so there weren't many opportunities to see a casino boat underway. This is the boat that Shipyard Sam now reigns over, as the GRAND VICTORIA II. While she was called the FLAMINGO in NOLA, her official marine name was QUEEN of NEW ORLEANS, which was painted on the bow and presumably on life vests, etc. We have a similar situation in Davenport. The thing is called RHYTHM CITY, but the official vessel name(when they were still vessels) is TREBLE CLEF. Sam's boat is headed downriver from its dock at the Hilton Hotel, heading for just below Algiers Bend, a round trip of maybe 4 miles...
11/02/2007 1:05 am
Queen Of New Orleans
The FLAMINGO (QNO/GV2), designed by Guido Perla, is arguably, the finest diesel-electric sternwheeler ever built. We "raced" and whipped the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN who was running alongside on a full head of steam before we even came ahead on the 1.500 hp paddlewheel over a two-mile course soon after the beautiful boat started running the gamlin' boat trade, on the Ohio River, opposite Rabbit Hash, about ten years ago.
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